Instead of being a financial drain, as many had argued during the long-fought battle that resulted in the creation of state's first public law school a little over a year ago, officials say it's turning into a cash cow.

BRIAN BOYD

DARTMOUTH — UMass School of Law is already proving its critics wrong, school officials say.

Instead of being a financial drain, as many had argued during the long-fought battle that resulted in the creation of state's first public law school a little over a year ago, officials say it's turning into a cash cow.

With higher than expected enrollment, UMass School of Law, which operates as part of UMass Dartmouth, will turn over a lot more money this year to the state than the original projection of $674,000 in tuition revenue, officials said.

"It's subsidizing the taxpayer," UMD Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack said. "It's sending $918,000 to the commonwealth, and the commonwealth is not sending any money to it."

On Feb. 2, 2010, the state Board of Higher Education unanimously voted in favor of UMD's plan to take the donated assets of the private school Southern New England School of Law in North Dartmouth and launch a public law program. The board had rejected a similar proposal five years earlier, but new board members and a revised plan led to a different result.

SNESL's Board of Trustees had helped revive the idea, voting in late 2009 to donate their assets so UMass could bring the school to the next level and secure American Bar Association accreditation. The new plan faced stiff opposition from some of the state's other private law schools and critics who feared that the school would become a drain on the state's coffers.

Once it was established, UMass Law attracted more students than anticipated. It accepted 168 new students for the current year, 45 more than projected.

"Students are eager," MacCormack said. "They're working hard. The faculty is telling me students are doing very well in their courses."

UMass Dartmouth has taken initial steps toward winning national accreditation for the law school, but critics remain skeptical as to whether the school will achieve that goal without requiring an infusion of taxpayer dollars.

Charles Chieppo, a senior fellow at the Pioneer Institute, a public policy think tank based in Boston, argued in the past that the law school plan would end up costing taxpayers, and he remains skeptical about the financing.

He said the school has to increase the rate of students passing the bar exam in order to win accreditation, and he does not see how it will be able to afford the necessary improvements, such as boosting library resources.

"If you're going to fix all of that spending (with) less than half of what other states spend on a per-student basis and improve to point you get accreditation, that's kind of Harry Potter stuff," he said.

He expects the accreditation process could take at least six years and, if the law school fails to persuade the ABA, it would be a major setback.

"If you're dealing with a state law school that can't get accredited, that's an embarrassment you can't overstate," Chieppo said.

UMass officials say more enrollment translates into more tuition and fees, and a portion of the money is going toward the goal of winning accreditation by the 2017-18 academic year.

Officials had projected $5.9 million in total revenue for fiscal year 2011, but they have revised that number up to $6.9 million. Tuition is turned over to the state, while fees and private donations are used to operate the school.

So UMass Dartmouth can turn over nearly $1 million in tuition revenue and keep most of the total revenue to spend on the law school, ensuring it can make the improvements necessary to win accreditation down the road, officials said.

"We are making all the investments we were talking about in financial aid, in faculty, the library, and students services and things of that nature to create a very robust law program worthy of national accreditation," UMD spokesman John Hoey said.

The university also refinanced the law school's debt, taking advantage of low interest rates, he added.

UMass Dartmouth has hired a consultant and is hoping to have an ABA team visit the law school sometime during the 2011-12 academic year, followed by approval for provisional accreditation, MacCormack said.

"We are in the process of doing an assessment of all standards to see where we are in relation to the standards," she said.

The law school has already added a bar preparation program that previously didn't exist, and it is in the process of hiring four new faculty members for the next academic year and adding resources to the school's library, MacCormack said.

Sandra Saenz, a second-year student who started when the school was still a private institution, said students are pleased with the transition so far.

"I really think everyone is very excited about this, especially the new students coming in," said Saenz, 36, who is from Seattle.

The new students appreciate they are getting a good education for less than a private school would cost, she said.

President of the school's International Law Society chapter, Saenz said she is seeking recognition of the chapter from UMass Dartmouth's student senate. That would give it access to possible funding.

The law school will enjoy access to more resources while maintaining the benefits of being a small school where people know each other by name, Saenz said.

She previously worked in the medical device industry and wants to continue to serve that field as a lawyer specializing in intellectual property. She appreciates that she will earn her degree under the UMass banner.

"I think there are many people familiar with the UMass name," she said. "It's going to be really nice to have that on my diploma."

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.